Designation: A 3 – 01 (Reapproved 2006)

Standard Specification for

Steel Joint Bars, Low, Medium, and High Carbon (Non-Heat-
Treated)1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 3; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope TABLE 1 Chemical Requirements

1.1 This specification covers steel joint bars for connecting Elements Composition, %
steel rails in mine, industrial, and standard railroad track.
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3
1.2 Three grades of joint bars are defined for applications
Carbon, min ... 0.30 0.45
where non-heat treated bars are suitable: Phosphorus, max 0.05 0.05 0.04
1.2.1 Grade 1, low-carbon, primarily for industrial and mine
use.
1.2.2 Grade 2, medium-carbon, primarily for industrial and
mine use. 3.1.3 Grade—in accordance with 1.2 and Table 1 and Table
1.2.3 Grade 3, high-carbon, for general use in standard 2,
railroad track. They may be used in the production of insulated 3.1.4 Dimension—overall length,
track joints. 3.1.5 Punching—type (elliptical, oval, round, or combina-
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded tions), size, number, location, spacing, and elevation of
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for punched holes, with dimensional drawing if necessary,
information only. 3.1.6 Special Requirements—notching, shearing, bundling,
etc., including details, and
2. Referenced Documents 3.1.7 Certification and Test Report Requirements—(Section
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 11).
A 370 Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing
of Steel Products 4. Manufacture
A 700 Practices for Packaging, Marking, and Loading 4.1 The steel shall be made by one or both of the following
Methods for Steel Products for Shipment processes: basic-oxygen or electric-furnace.
4.1.1 The steel may be cast by a continuous process, or in
3. Ordering Information ingots.
3.1 Orders for joint bars under this specification shall 4.2 Grade 2, medium-carbon, joint bars may be punched,
include the following information as appropriate: slotted, and shaped in the case of special designs, either hot or
3.1.1 Quantity—number of pairs of bars, cold. Joint bars that are punched, slotted, or shaped cold shall
3.1.2 Type—design or type bar along with section designa- be subsequently annealed.
tion and weight of rails being joined, 4.3 Grade 3, high-carbon, joint bars shall be uniformly
heated for punching, slotting, and shaping.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel, 5. Chemical Requirements
Stainless Steel and Related Alloys, and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
A01.01 on Steel Rails and Accessories. 5.1 The steel shall conform to the requirements as to
Current edition approved March 1, 2006. Published March 2006. Originally chemical composition prescribed in Table 1.
approved in 1901. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as A3 – 01.
2
5.2 Heat or Cast Analysis—An analysis of each heat or cast
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
shall be made by the manufacturer to determine the percent-
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on ages of carbon, manganese, phosphorus, and sulfur. The
the ASTM website. analysis shall be made from a test sample taken preferably

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 A 3 – 01 (2006)
TABLE 2 Product Analysis alignment adjusted, all subject to the permissible variations
prescribed in 7.3, 7.4, and Table 4.
Allowance Beyond Limits of Specified Chemical
Analysis
7.3 Any variation from a straight line in a vertical plane
shall be such as will make the bars high in the center.
Percent under Percent over
min limit max limit 7.4 For girder rail applications only, any variation from a
Carbon 0.04 0.04 straight line in a horizontal plane shall be such as will make the
Phosphorus ... 0.008 bars convex towards the web of the rail.
8. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
during the pouring of the heat or cast. The chemical composi- 8.1 The joint bars shall be straight, subject to the variations
tion thus determined shall conform to the requirement in Table prescribed in 7.3, 7.4, and Table 4.
1. Manganese and sulfur determinations are for information 8.2 The general appearance with respect to soundness and
only. surface finish shall be consistent with good commercial prac-
5.3 Product Analysis—When ladle tests are not available, tice as determined by visual inspection.
finished material representing the heat may be product tested. 9. Inspection
The product analysis allowance beyond the limits of the
specified ladle analysis shall be within the limits for product 9.1 The manufacturer shall afford the purchaser’s inspector
analyses specified in Table 2. all reasonable facilities necessary to satisfy that the material is
5.3.1 An analysis may be made by the purchaser from a being produced and furnished in accordance with this specifi-
sample taken from a finished joint bar representing each heat or cation. Mill inspection by the purchaser shall not interfere
cast. The chemical composition thus determined shall conform unnecessarily with the manufacturer’s operations. All tests and
to the requirements in Table 1. inspections shall be made at the place of manufacture, unless
otherwise agreed upon.
6. Tensile Requirements
10. Rejection and Rehearing
6.1 Properties—The material as represented by a tension
10.1 Material that fails to conform to the requirements of
test specimen shall conform to the tensile properties prescribed
this specification may be rejected. Rejections shall be reported
in Table 3.
to the manufacturer or supplier promptly and in writing. In case
6.2 Test Specimen—The tension test specimen shall be
of dissatisfaction with the test results, the manufacturer or
taken from the middle of the head at the center of a finished
supplier may make claim for a rehearing.
joint bar. The specimen shall be machined to the form and
dimensions for a standard round tension test specimen with 11. Certification and Test Report
2-in. or (50- mm) gage length, as described in Test Methods
11.1 When specified in the purchase order or contract, a
and Definitions A 370.
manufacturer’s certification shall be furnished to the purchaser
6.3 Number of Tests—One tension test shall be made from
that the material was produced and tested in accordance with
each heat or cast of steel.
this specification and has been found to meet the requirements.
6.4 Retests—If the results of the tension test fail to meet the
11.2 When specified in the purchase order or contract, a
requirements specified, a retest shall be permitted on two
report of the chemical and mechanical test results shall be
random specimens from the lot. Both shall conform to the
furnished.
requirements specified in Table 3.
11.3 A Material Test Report, Certificate of Inspection, or
6.4.1 If any test specimen fails because of mechanical
similar document printed from or used in electronic form from
reasons such as failure of testing equipment or improper
an electronic data interchange (EDI) transmission shall be
specimen preparation, it may be discarded and another speci-
regarded as having the same validity as a counterpart printed in
men taken.
the certifier’s facility. The content of the EDI transmitted
7. Dimensions and Permissible Variations document must meet the requirements of the invoked ASTM
standard(s) and conform to any existing EDI agreement be-
7.1 The joint bars shall be true to template, and shall tween the purchaser and the supplier.
accurately fit the rails for which they are intended. 11.4 Notwithstanding the absence of a signature, the orga-
7.2 The joint bars shall be either sheared or sawed to length, nization submitting either a printed document (Material Test
punched to the dimensions specified by the purchaser and Report, Certificate of Inspection or similar document) or an
EDI transmission is responsible for the content of the report.
TABLE 3 Tensile Requirements
12. Product Marking
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 12.1 The name or brand of the manufacturer and the year of
ksi MPa ksi MPa ksi MPa manufacture shall be rolled in raised letters and figures on the
Tensile strength, 55 380 68 470 85 585 side of the rolled bars, and a portion of this marking shall
min appear on each finished joint bar.
Elongation in 2 in. 22 20 15
or 50 mm, min 12.2 In addition to the markings in 12.1, the following
markings shall appear on Grade 3, high-carbon joint bars:

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 A 3 – 01 (2006)
12.2.1 The section designation shall be included with the 13. U.S. Government Procurement
rolled raised characters.
13.1 When specified in the contract or purchase order,
12.2.2 A serial number representing the heat or cast shall be
material shall be prepared for shipment and storage in accor-
hot-stamped on the outside of the web of each bar, near one
dance with the requirements of Practices A 700.
end.
12.3 Bar Coding:
12.3.1 The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) Bar 14. Keywords
Code Standard for Primary Metals for Steel Products may be 14.1 rail; railway applications; steel joint bars
considered as a possible auxiliary method of identification. Use
of this method shall be by agreement between purchaser and
supplier.

TABLE 4 Permissible Variations in Dimensions

Specified size of holes 61⁄32 in. (0.8 mm)

Specified location of holes 61⁄16 in. (1.6 mm)
Specified length of bar 61⁄8 in. (3.2 mm)

Maximum camber in either plane—tee rail applications (see 7.3)

Grades 1, 2 Grade 3
24-in. (610-mm) bars 1⁄16 in. (1.6 mm) ⁄ in. (0.8 mm)
1 32

36-in. (914-mm) bars 1⁄8 in. (3.2 mm) 1⁄16 in. (1.6 mm)

Maximum vertical camber-girder rail applications (see 7.3) (Grades 1 and 2 only)
24-in. (610-mm) bars 3⁄64 in. (1.2 mm)

36-in. (914-mm) bars 3⁄32 in. (2.4 mm)

Maximum horizontal camber-girder rail applications (see 7.4) (Grades 1 and 2 only)
24-in. (610-mm) bars 1⁄16 in. (1.6 mm)

36-in. (914-mm) bars 1⁄8 in. (3.2 mm)

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